Govt gets its way – phone line prices going up

Consumers in rural and regional New Zealand are the biggest losers in today’s Commerce Commission decision to hike copper phone line prices, Labour’s ICT spokesperson David Parker says.

“Today’s shock announcement of a 10 per cent increase in the regulated wholesale copper phone line price will cost all households – particularly in areas where they are still waiting for ultra-fast broadband.

“New Zealand consumers and businesses already pay higher prices than their overseas counterparts. They are about to go even higher.

“When the regulated price went down, the Government squealed and put enormous pressure on the Commerce Commission. Now watch National claim it’s not their fault prices are going up.

“Amy Adams has presided over a complete shambles.

“Years of in-fighting and scrapping between telcos are set to continue.

“At a time of close to zero inflation, phone bills will now go up substantially. Competition will reduce.

“Once again middle New Zealand is left to pay the bill,” David Parker says.